


That's My Seat

by SweetPages



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, But sometimes that's a good thing, Finals, M/M, Meet-Cute, Misunderstandings, Sushi, Tony Stark doesn't always have good ideas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 13:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6957934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetPages/pseuds/SweetPages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's stuff was sitting there. Right there, all over the table. And he was gone for two minutes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That's My Seat

The words in front of him blur into one block of clustered black spots as he rubs at his face. He doesn’t think he’s actually retained anything since two pages ago, and when he tries to remember what he _has_ retained his brain only supplies him with a dull ache that’s been steadily building for the last half an hour. He blows out a breath, sitting there another moment before he shifts in his seat and it hits him: _he really needs to pee_.

Well, if there’s any excuse to take a break, it’s bodily functions.

It’s a mess in front of him, notebook open and highlighters splayed on top of it on one side, former exams spread out along with his laptop on the other, and his textbook cracked to page 392, littered with crumbs from his earlier snack sitting in front of him. He sighs and grabs the empty bag of chips, deciding to get rid of it while he goes to the restroom. 

He hesitates before going, looking around to survey the area. The library is pretty full of people studying, with it being the week before finals, but he’s managed to snag a small table for himself. He knows if he gets his things together to take with him he might lose his spot, so he closes his laptop and puts it away but keeps his other things out, planning on only taking a minute. 

The restroom is just around the corner, so he quickly makes his way to it and tosses his trash away before going in to do his business.

His phone starts to ring just after he finishes washing his hands, and when he grabs it out of his pocket, he sees ‘Tony’ flash across the screen. Steve heaves a sigh before answering, knowing that whatever conversation he’s about to have will only worsen the ache in his head.

“Hey Tony.” He tries to get out of the bathroom quickly, feeling awkward as his voice echoes back to him while others are trying to do their thing. 

“Hey, short blond and…well, I’ll admit it, you’re kinda cute.”

 Steve steps out of the library, heeding the signs that tell him calls aren’t allowed inside.

“How’s studying?” Tony asks, and this time Steve manages to retain his sigh.

“It’s going alright. I only have two finals this time, so…could be worse. You?”

He can only imagine how busy Tony is, double majoring in business and engineering. He would wonder if the other is insane if he didn’t already know he probably is from personal experience.

“Fine, _great_ actually, I…I haven’t slept in three days. You should try it.” Tony sounds distracted as he answers, and his voice is lowered to almost a mumble, and it could be due to the lack of sleep but Steve has to admit that it isn’t really a change from the way he sounds a lot of the time. Still, Steve’s known his friend for a while now, along with all of his bad habits, so he’s aware of the fact that Tony can’t sustain himself on coffee and energy drink cocktails for long.

“I…don’t think that’s healthy, Tony.”

“Maybe not, but I get a _ton_ accomplished, and- _shit_.”

Steve blinks, raises a brow. “What?” 

“I- uh…um…”

Tony isn’t usually at a loss for words, seems to have a backlog of them at all times, and the fact that he’s gone quiet now is now makes Steve think that whatever just happened is probably serious. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I just- I have a little problem, pardon the pun.” Tony laughs to himself, before cutting off abruptly. “Okay it might actually be a _big_ problem, but. Uh…tell you what, I’ll call you back.” He hears the line cut to silence and he frowns at his phone. He has to let…whatever that was roll off his back, knowing that Tony most likely won’t call him back anytime soon. His phone lets him know it’s almost 6pm, and he decides to return to his studies for another hour before heading home. 

Only…when he gets back inside his seat is taken. And all of his stuff is gone.

The guy sitting there now has his things out, and he’s clearly taken over the table. He’s looking over his textbook, settled in and comfortable, and _in Steve’s seat_.

Steve doesn’t hesitate. He stalks over purposefully, until he’s standing right across the table from the spot stealer.

“Where the hell’s my stuff?” he demands, voice low as he tries to remain considerate of the other people studying. The guy looks up, all big blue eyes and confusion.

“What?”

Yeah, right. Steve’s not buying it.

“I was just sitting here and I went to the bathroom. I was gone for _two_ minutes.” He doesn’t know how this guy hid his things so quickly, but the fact that he did it to steal someone else’s seat, _his_ seat, makes Steve's tired eyes see red. “You think it’s okay to steal someone’s spot?”

The guy shrugs and looks at Steve like he’s crazy. “I don’t know buddy, I didn’t think anyone was sitting here.”

“ _You didn’t think_ -“ Steve cuts himself off, leans forward and gestures across the table. “My stuff was sitting all over this table. Where’d you put it?”

The guy’s dark brows are drawn together, his mouth open as he stares at Steve. “I didn’t touch your shit dude. This table was clear when I got here.”

Steve’s had people try to pull a fast one on him in the past, plenty of times. Guys in high school, who’d hide his stuff in some closet or locker then shrug, telling him they had no idea who took his things. He never went to anyone for help, he found ways to solve it himself. Just like he’ll solve this now. 

This guy actually reminds him a little of those jerks in school, all handsome and athletic-looking. Thinking they’re hot stuff, and that they can push around anyone littler than them, that no one’s gonna stop them because the people they step on aren’t a threat. But Steve proved them wrong.

“If you don’t tell me where my stuff is, you’re gonna regret it,” he states, staring hard across the table. The jerk doesn’t look especially threatened, instead he smiles, almost _amused_ , and it only stokes the flames of Steve’s fury.

“Yeah? You gonna fight me?”

Steve’s never punched someone in a library before. Today looks like it might be a first. 

Suddenly, jerk boy frowns, eyes moving to some point behind Steve. “What the hell?”

He turns, and catches a glimpse of a man retreating behind a bookcase. It was only a second, but Steve thinks the man looked awfully familiar. When he turns back to the jerk, he’s standing up and looking at the case, bewildered.

“He was waving his arms at me,” he says, and Steve looks back at the bookcase with a little more certainty. 

“Hang on.”

He walks off, trying to be quiet as he nears the case. There’s the sound of rustling papers when he rounds the corner, and he peers behind the other side, bracing himself for…something.

That something looks up at him with wide eyes, pausing in his efforts to gather Steve’s things together. “Uh…hey. Funny seeing you here, are you, is _this_ where you’re studying?” Tony points down at the floor.

Steve crosses his arms. 

“Y’know if you frown too much you’ll get premature age lines. I know a face mask that work wonders, Japanese green tea, it’s-“

“What the hell are you doing?” he demands, feeling a presence come up behind him. Tony’s eyes shift to what Steve thinks must be jerk guy.

“You,” he says, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Traitor.”

Jerk guy looks over Steve’s stuff, hand rubbing at his chin. “I’m no detective, but it looks like this guy might’ve stolen your stuff.”

“ _Gee_ , you think? What gave it away?” Steve says, staring hard at Tony.

“Gotta say though, that was quick work,” he adds, sounding truly impressed. “There wasn’t anything left by the time I got there.”

Tony jumps on the compliment, quickly changing his earlier tune. “ _Thank you_ , see at least _someone_ appreciates the efforts I go through. I only wanted to freak you out, give you a laugh. I didn’t think _he’d_ come along,” he hears a scoff behind him, “and you know, we’re _all_ stressed with finals, we’re all in this together, why not have some good times? Make some good memories? This is _college_ , it’s the time of our lives Steve.”

He seems to notice the fact that Steve’ sharp expression isn’t changing, and he stands slowly, backing away with his hands raised. “So I…you know, I’m just gonna go, I think. Maybe keep any future pranks focused on Rhodey. But we had a good run Rogers, you and I. Guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

When Steve doesn’t say anything, Tony takes his cue to leave.

“Okay, too cliché? That’s fine, never pegged you for the romantic drama type anyway. See ya!”

He quickly disappears around the bookcase, and Steve sighs, running a hand over his face before looking down at all his things scattered on the floor.

“Are all your friends crazy?” Jerk guy asks, moving forward to start gathering Steve’s things. Steve, for his part, might still be angry about all of this, but he still feels grateful for the help.

“They all have their quirks, but Tony’s one-of-a-kind. Thanks,” he says, as the guy who’s probably not a jerk hands him his notebook.

“No problem. This was kind of a fun distraction,” he replies with a smile, and Steve thinks that, okay, this guy really can’t be a jerk, with a smile as dazzling as that. 

“Well…glad there was some upside to it,” Steve says, and the guy gives a little laugh.

“Yeah I guess.” He holds out a hand after handing Steve the last of his exams. “Bucky Barnes.”

Steve settles his stuff into the crook of his arm so he can shake Bucky’s hand. “Steve Rogers.”

“Well,” Bucky says, standing. Steve follows suit. “Steve Rogers, if you still want your spot back, you can have it.”

He suddenly feels bad for wanting to punch Bucky in the face earlier, and he shakes his head, deciding to try to make up for it. “No, it’s alright, you can have it. Think I could use a break anyway. Maybe go and get some actual food instead of buying crap from the vending machine.”

“Yeah, that stuff won’t stick with you,” Bucky replies. In the second that follows, Steve’s about to thank him and give a goodbye so he can leave Bucky to his studies, but the other speaks up again before he can say anything. “Have you tried out that new sushi place yet? Just opened across the street from the science and engineering building.”

“Uh, no I haven’t been.” He hasn’t ever tried sushi, usually preferring to stick with food that’s cooked thoroughly in case his stomach decides to disagree with him. But if Bucky’s recommending this place, it might be worth trying out.

“You wanna go now?” Bucky asks, smile sly, and Steve definitely wants to try it.

* * *

He was wrong. Bucky is a jerk. But he’s a jerk with some pretty great ideas.

_Thanks Tony._

Steve hits ‘send’ and sets his phone down, exchanging it for his chopsticks.

“Now just wait for the fallout, and don’t say anything back,” Bucky says, grinning at him before popping a piece of tempura shrimp in his mouth. Steve grins in turn and shakes his head.

“This is gonna drive him nuts you know.” He tries to pick up a California roll, chopsticks clumsily slipping off the edges as Bucky laughs.

“That’s kinda the point.” Bucky watches him for a second before setting his own chopsticks down and reaching for his hand. “Here, like this…” 

* * *

 

_For what?  
_

_Steve?  
_

_Why are you thanking me?_

_Is this sarcasm? Because I thought you’d ignore me, or I don’t know, chew my head off.  
_

_Steve_

_You’re scaring me._

_This isn’t fair at all you know._

* * *

Steve opens the door to his dorm two hours later with a smile and a new number in his phone. He gets it out to text Bucky, but it vibrates with a new text from Tony before he can.

_OH MY GOD RHODEY JUST SAID HE SAW YOU GETTING SUSHI WITH THE TRAITOR. DID I GET YOU LAID!??_

He feels his face heat up, and he starts texting him back to explain but Tony replies too quickly.

_So THAT’S why you were thanking me. Well in that case, any time. ;)_

He glares down at his phone. He kind of wants to punch Bucky again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to all the people suffering through finals. You can do it!
> 
> Mine have already passed, but I know everyone seems to be on a different schedule. So now that I'm done I can root for everyone else and write a meet-cute that might be a good little distraction.
> 
> Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed I'd love if you'd leave a comment!


End file.
